It is known to provide a container which is formed from one or more sheets of foldable material. The material is folded into shape and various parts are adhered to one another so that the shape is retained. Often, such containers are formed from a single unitary blank of foldable material. It is also known for such containers to comprise a hinged chute which in a closed position forms part of a wall of the container but which is movable to an open position in which it provides a chute, through which the contents of the container may be dispensed.
In the known containers, the chute is often provided in a first, usually upper end. However, the design of the known containers is such that they have to be filled through the opposite, usually lower end. This may require a part assembled container to be turned to position the opposite end uppermost, so that the contents can be deposited into the container. The opposite end is then closed by means of an end closure which typically comprises foldable end flaps and tabs. The need to invert the partially constructed container is time consuming and can introduce inaccuracies in the assembly process.
Furthermore, such known containers typically use abutments as means to restrict movement of the chute in the opening direction. However, the known restriction means can become unreliable with repeated use.
An object of the invention is to provide a container suitable for the containment and dispense of small items such as confectionery items or tablet-form medications which is simple to assemble and convenient to fill.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a container having an improved opening and closing chute arrangement for the dispensing of such items.
Another object of the invention is to provide a blank for the manufacture of a container with the abovementioned attributes.
Still another object of the invention is to provide a method of constructing and filling a container with the above mentioned attributes.